Combined handbag hanger and glove holder



Oct 1954 H. NEIV ERT COMBINED HANDBAG HANGER AND GLOVE HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 30, 1950 INVEN TOR.

M422) A/E/ VEET Oct. 19, 1954 H. NEIVERT 2,692,108 COMBINED HANDBAG HANGER AND GLOVE HOLDER Filed June so, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

' HAZE) NE/VEET BY kdw ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 19, 1954 COMBINED HANDBAG HANGER AND GLOVE HOLDER Harry Neivert, New York, N. Y.

Application June 30, 1950, Serial No. 171,327

Claims. (Cl. 248215) The present invention relates to a device for hanging a ladies handbag or the like from a supporting surface such as a table top and to such a device which ma also serve as a holder for gloves or the like.

Various devices have in the past been proposed for supporting handbags from table or counter tops, such devices generally being carried inside the handbag so that they are always available for use and many of such devices being foldable so as to take up a small space when not in use. One of the prime disadvantages of such devices as they have existed heretofore is the fact that their structure rendered them useful only for handbag hanging, and hence when not in use they are customarily stored away in the handbag where they are out of sight. As a result, they not only serve no purpose when not used for supporting a handbag but they are also very liable to be forgotten, particularly when a woman changes from one handbag to another in accordance with her whim or her style of dress.

Another disadvantage of the prior devices resides in the fact that the hanger member extends above the top of the remainder of the support ing structure. This not only mars the appearance of the devices but also constitutes a hazard, the upwardly projecting portion of the hanger member constituting an obstacle to free movemerit of the arms of an individual, tending to catch or tear the clothes or skin of the individual, and rendering the hanger liable to be accidentally swept from the table top, it and the handbag which it was supporting then falling to the floor.

The handbag hanger of the present invention has as its prime advantage the fact that it is usable as a decorative unit even when it is not performing its prime function of supporting a handbag from a table or counter top. In particular, the handbag hanger of the present invention may be displayed on the outside of the handbag with which it is to be used, there defining a decorative emblem or display device having any desired attractive appearance. Not only does this permit the hanger to perform a function other than its handbag-hanging function, but it also permits the hanger to advertise its presence and, by the same token, render its absence more noticeable so that it is less likely to be forgotten.

This object is achieved by making the construction articulate in nature, th hanger being convertible from a display unit having a loop engageable with a portion of the handbag such as the handbag strap, to a hanger unit having a dependent hanger member from which the handbag may be suspended. The strap-engaging loop and the hanger member are preferably constituted by the same structural element, that element being movable with respect to the remainder of the hanger structure between one position and another.

In order to facilitate the employment of the hanger as a decorative display device when not in handbag-hanging use, the top surface of the hanger structure is designedly rendered unencumbered by any of the hanging or supporting structure. This not only permits the making of the hanger so that it may have any desired decorative appearance or so that it can, as illustrated, be provided with removable initials so as to serve as a monogram, but also renders the device more efficient in performing its handbaghanging function by reducing the possibility that the hanger might accidentally be swept or slid from th supporting surface on which it may be placed.

It often occurs that, when a woman wishes to temporarily dispose of her handbag, as when she sits at a luncheon table or card table, she will also wish to temporarily dispose of her gloves or handkerchief. It is, of course, possible for her to put such items inside the handbag, but this is not always practical, either because they are too large for the handbag, the handbag is too full of other things, or the woman does not Wish to subject them to the possibility of becoming covered with powder which m ght escape from the compact in the handbag. It has been found that the device of the present invention can be very easily modified so as to constitute a glove holder as well as a handbag hanger, thus permitting a woman to remove her gloves and secure them in a conspicuous position, so that their beaut may be appreciated and so that she will not be likely to forget them, and this without the necessity for subjecting them to crushing or the other hazards incident upon placing them inside the handbag. Moreover, the device of the present invention can be employed as a glove holder even when said device is not in handbag-hanging position but is functioning solely as a decorative display unit.

The versatility of function of the handbag hanger of the present invention is of prime significance and its decorativeness, derived from its unencumbered top, is a very significant attribute.

It is another exceedingly important feature of the present invention that all of the above is achieved by means of a simple, sturdy and inexpensive construction which is easy to manufacture and assemble.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing objects, and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, the present invention relates to the structure of a combined handbag hanger and glove holder as defined in the appended claims and as described in this specification taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a top view of the hanger, showing it in a condition suitable for use as a display unit;

Fig. 2 is a side View thereof taken from the right hand side of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view showing the device in handbaghanging position, this view also illustrating the manner in which it can function as a glove holder;

Fig. 4 is a view showing the device in use as a display unit and also illustrating another manner in which gloves may be held thereby;

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a side cross-sectional view taken along the line Efi of Fig. 1, the monogram initials being omitted;

Fig. '7 is a bottom view similar to Fig. 5 but with parts of the friction member broken away and with the hanger member pivoted 90 from its position of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing an alternative embodiment.

Broadly considered, my handbag hanger comprises a friction member generally designated A adapted to rest upon and make frictional contact with the top of a supporting surface generally designated B, said friction member A having a hanger member generally designated C secured thereto, the hanger member C being positionable so as to extend below the friction member A and pass around or encircle the projecting edge 2 of the supporting surface B and extend a substantial distance thereunder. A catch generally designated D is provided on the friction member A, the hanger member C terminating in a free tip 4 which is engageable with the catch D and releasable therefrom. The hanger member C is formed of a suitable resilient material such as spring steel and will normally assume the position illustrated in broken lines in Fig. l, in which the free tip 4, which is preferably reversely bent, is separated from the catch D by an appreciable distance. The tip 4 may be engaged with the catch D by resiliently distorting the hanger member C, the resilience of that member in tending to return to its normal position maintaining the tip 6 engaged.

When in this position the body portion 6 of the hanger member C encircles a portion of the friction member A, so that the friction member A may. be suspended from the hanger member C. This condition is the one which the device assumes when in use as a display device, as illustrated in Fig. 4, where the body portion 5 of the hanger member C passes through the looped strap 8 of a'handbag It so as to be suspended therefrom.

When the hanger is to be used for supporting a handbag it from a supporting surface 3, the free tip 4 of the hanger member C is disengaged from the catch D and the hanger member C is then moved to a position below the friction member A, the free tip a of the hanger member C being passed through the loop 3 of the handbag 18. This is illustrated in Fig. 3, where it is apparent that the weight of the handbag ill exerted on the resilient member C tends to pull the friction member A downwardly and hence forces it into holder an expansible member E, preferably in the form of a loop H of cloth covered rubber or similar material, is secured to and extends from the hanger structure, preferably at a point remote from the projecting catch D. A pair of gloves E2 or any similar object such as a handkerchief or the like may be held in position by the expansible member either by being re'-' tained inside the loop H, as illustrated in Fig. 3, or by being retained between the stretched loop ii and the friction member when the free tip it of the expansible member E is passed across the friction member A and engaged with the catch D, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

It will be noted that the top surface of the friction member A is unencumbered by any of the structural parts of the device, and conscquently it may have any desired design or color scheme so as to function as a decorative display device, as shown in Fig. 4. As here disclosed, the top of the friction member A is provided with decorative removable initials It so that the device will serve as an attractive monogram which not only enhances the appearance of the handbag to which it is attached, as in Fig. 4, but also serves to identify the same both when suspended therefrom, as in Fig. 4, and when the device itself is supporting the handbag Ill, as in Fig. 3.

The details of construction of the particular embodiment here illustrated are best shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7. The friction member A comprises a button-like member shown as circular but which may assume any desired shape, said member A being of any suitable structural material and here shown as defined by a shaped metal shell 18 having an insettop 2t and an open bottom defined by the aperture 22. The sides of the shell is are provided with diametrically opposed apertures 23' (see Figs. 2, 5 and '7) through which the shank 2d of the one-piece hanger member C is passed. One end 26 of the shank 24 extends out from the shell 58 but a short distance and is curled back on itself so as to define an eye constituting the catch D, this catch being wider than the aperture 22 and thus preventing the removal of the shank 24 from the shell it. The other end 28 of the shank 24 extends out from the other side of the shell is and is elongated and non-linear so as to define the body portion 5 of the hanger member (3 and the preferably reversely bent or hooked free tip t thereof. The body portion 6 is here shown as smoothly curved but it could take any desired shape so long as it encompasses or encircles a part of the friction member A and so long as the free tip l thereof is movable so as to engage with the catch D. As has already been stated, it is preferred that the normal position of the free tip lbe spaced somewhat from the catch D, as illustrated by the broken lines in Fig. 1, so that it is engageable with the catch D only by resilient distortion of the body portion 6, thus permitting the resilience of the hanger member C to retain the free tip 4 and the catch D in engagement.

In view of the manner in which the shank 24 of the hanger member C is secured within the shell I8, it is apparent that the body portion 6 of the hanger member C is p-ivotable with respect to the friction member A between a position parallel thereto as shown for example in Figs. 1 and 4, in which position the device is particularly adapted for use as a display device, and a position perpendicular thereto, as shown in Fig. 7. In the latter position, when the free tip 4 of the hanger member C is disengaged from the catch D the device is in condition for supporting a handbag, as shown in Fig. 3.

Since the catch D is shown integral with the shank 24 of the hanger member C, it will pivot along with the hanger member C and thus facilitate engagement and disengagement of the free tip 4 and the catch D no matter what the relative pivoted positions of the friction member A and hanger member C. The catch D could, of course, be separate from the hanger member C so as not to automatically pivot therewith, and could even be non-pivotally mounted on the friction member A, if desired,

The bulk of the interior of the shell I8 is preferably filled by an appropriately shaped sheet 30 of cardboard or other filler material which may be secured by adhesive or by any other means to the underside of the inset top 20. This filler sheet is, of course, provided with a passage 32 through which the shank 24 may freely extend. It is preferred to secure a sheet 34 of rubber, felt or other suitable frictional material to the filler sheet 30 in any convenient manner, as by the use of adhesive, the sheet 34 projecting outwardly somewhat from the shell I8 and thus preventing contact between the metal edges of the shell I8 and the top of the supporting surface B. This not only avoids marring the supportin surface B but also enhances the frictional engagement between the friction member A and the supporting surface B when the device is used for suspending a handbag.

The initials I 6 may be secured to the top of the shell I8 in conventional manner as by adhesive, the use of pins, or the like, so that initials appropriate to the name of the owner may be employed. It is preferred that they be positioned inside the inset portion 20 of the top of the shell I8 so as to be protected by the raised edges thereof and so as not to add to the height of the friction member A, but this is not essential.

The expansible member E is here shown in the form of a looped length of expansible material such as cloth covered rubber, the ends 36 of the loop I I being secured together inside the shell is and around the shank 24 of the hanger member C, the looped body I I of the expansible member E extending out from inside the shell I8 via an appropriately shaped aperture 38 in the filler sheet 3!} and rubber sheet 24, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7. This aperture 38 is preferably provided at a point diametrically opposed from the catch D. The length of the loop I I is such that the loop II would have to be expanded in order to pass a pair of gloves, a handkerchief or the like therethrough, the expanded loop thus serving to retain the gloves or the like in position. When the handbag hanger is used for handbag supporting purposes as illustrated in Fig. 3, the gloves I2 may be securely held in that manner,

Since the expansible member E is preferably secured at a point remote from the catch D, the

member E may be extended so that its free tip I 4 passes over or under the friction member A and is releasably engaged with the catch D by being passed therearound. When the expansible member E is in this position, gloves I2 may be secure- 1y held in place between the expansible member E and the friction member A, as illustrated in Fig. 4. This will normally be the manner in which gloves are held by the device when it is functioning as a display device. It will be understood that if the expansible member E in Fig. 3 were passed over the top of the friction member A and engaged with the catch D, gloves I4 could also be secured thereto in the same manner, but this is not preferred since the decorative appearance of the friction member A would be marred thereby and since the gloves I4 would be maintained in an inconvenient position on top of the supporting surface B.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 8 the sides of the shell I8 are grooved as at 46) and the expansible loop II, when not actually in use for holding gloves I4, may be expanded so as to fit inside and be partially housed within the groove 40, thus enhancing the neatness of appearance of the unit.

The manner of use of the handbag hanger above described will be fully apparent from the above description. When the handbag is being carried the handbag hanger may be secured on the outside thereof by passing the body portion 6 of the hanger member C through the looped strap 8 of the handbag I0, engaging the free tip 4 with the catch D, and pivoting the hanger member 0 with respect to the friction member A so that the friction member A will lie fiat against the surface of the bag with its decorative top side uppermost. When in this position the device will enhance the appearance of the bag, it will, when provided with a monogram, serve as an identification of the bag, and by its conspicuousness when present it will minimize the possibility that it might be forgotten or mislaid. When in this position the expansible member E may be employed for holding gloves or the like, the gloves either being passed through the looped expansible member E itself or being secured between the expansible member E and. the friction member A when the free tip I4 of the expansible member E is passed across the underside of the" friction member A and engaged with the catch D. The gloves will thus be securely held in an exposed position in which their attractiveness will be manifest, and it will not be necessary to subject the gloves to the disadvantages of being folded up and placed inside the handbag It.

When it is desired to suspend the handbag III from a supporting surface B the free tip 4 of the hanger member C is disengaged from the catch D through resilient distortion of the body portion 6 thereof, the member C is positioned perpendicular to the friction member A, the friction member A is placed on top of the supporting surface B so that the body portion 6 of the hanger member C encircles the projecting edge 2 of the supporting member B, and the looped strap 8 of the handbag I0 is then passed over the free tip 4 of the hanger member C. The weight of the handbag II) will resiliently distort the body portion 6 of the hanger member C and will pull the friction member A into firm frictional engagement with the supporting surface B, the rubber or felt layer 34 serving to ensure firm frictional engagement and protect the surface B. The unobstructed and unencumbered top of the friction member A will be visible, will present a decorative appearance, and will function, when provided with a monogram, as a means of identification. As here illustrated, not even the monogram initials i6 project above the friction member A since they are secured within the inset portion 29 of the top thereof. Hence it will be very difficult even to purposely slide the friction member A on the top of the supporting surface B while the handbag is suspended, much less dislodge the hanger and handbag by accident.

The device is neat, simple, sturdy and inexpensive, and lends itself to many modifications in shape, size, decoration, and details of construction, all within the spirit of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A handbag hanger comprising a friction member adapted to rest upon and made frictional contact with the top of a supporting surface, a catch on and projecting outwardly'from an edge of said friction member, and a hanger member of resilient material projecting outwardly from an edge of said friction member and having a nonlinear body portion terminating in a free tip, said free tip being movable between a first position releasably engageable with said catch and a second position below said friction member for handbag hanging purposes.

2. A handbag hanger comprising a friction member adapted to rest upon and make frictiona1 contact with the top of a supporting surface, a catch on and projecting outwardly from an edge of said friction member, a hanger member of resilient material projecting outwardly from an edge of said friction member at a point opposite said catch and having a non-linear body portion normally partially encircling said friction member and terminating in a free tip, said free tip being movable between. a first positionreleasably engageable with said catch and a second position below said friction member for handbag hanging purposes.

3'. The handbag hanger of claim 1 in whichsaid hanger member is pivotally mounted on said friction member so as to be movable between a position parallel to said friction mernber and a position perpendicular thereto, said catch being operatively connected to said hanger member so as to pivot therewith, the free tip of said hanger member being releasably engageable with said catch in all positions.

4. The handbag hanger of claimz', in which said hanger member is pivotally mounted on said friction member so as to be movable be tween a position parallel to said friction member and a position perpendicular thereto, said catch being operatively connected to said hanger member so as to pivot therewith, the free tip of said hanger member being releasably engageable with said catch in all positions.

5. A handbag hanger comprising a friction member adapted to rest upon and make frictional contact with the top of a supporting surface, a hanger member of resilient material, said hanger 7 member comprising a shank secured Within said friction member and projecting ontwardly from opposite edges thereof, one end of said shank being curled to define a catch, which catch prevents said shank from being withdrawn from said friction member, the other end o-f'said shank being elongated and non-linear so as to partially encircle said friction member, said other end of said. shank terminating in a free tip mov- 8 able between a first position releasably engageable with said catch and. a second position below saicl'friction member for handbag hanging purposes.

6. A combined handbag hanger and glove holder comprising a friction member adapted to rest upon and make frictional contact with the top of a support surface, a hanger member comprising a shank secured within said friction member and projecting out from an edge-thereof, said hanger member having a free tip positionable below said friction member for handbag hanging purposes, and an exp ansible member secured to said shank inside said friction member and defining an expansible loop extending from the above structure for holding a pair of gloves or the like.

'7. A combined handbag hanger and glove holder comprising a friction member adapted to rest upon and make frictional contact with the top of a support surface, a hanger member secured thereto and having a free tip positionable below said friction member for handbag hanging purposes, a catch on said friction member, and an expansible member secured to and extending from the above structure at a point remote from said catch, said expansible member being releasably engageable with said catch so as to resiliently grasp a pair of gloves or the like between itself and said friction member.

8. In the handbag hanger of claim I, an ex pansible member secured to and extending from the there defined structure at a point remote from said catch, said expansible member being releasably engageable with said catch so as to resiliently grasp a pair of gloves or the like between itself and said friction member.

9. In the handbag member of claim 5, an expan-sible member secured to the there defined structure and extending from said friction mem-- her at a point remote from. said one end of said shank, said expansibl'e. member being releasably engageable with said. one end of said shank so as to resiliently grasp a pair of gloves or the like between itself and said friction member.

10. A handbag hanger comprising a friction member adapted to rest upon and make frictional contact with thetop of a supporting surface, a catch on and projecting outwardly from an edge of said friction member, a hanger member of resilient material projectingoutwardly from an edge of said friction member at a point opposite said catch and having a non'linear body portion normally partially encircling said friction member and terminating in a free tip, said hanger member being pivctally mounted on said friction member so as to be movable between a position parallel to said friction member and a position perpendicular thereto, said catch being operatively connected to said hanger member so as to pivot therewith, the free tip of said hanger member being releasably engageable with said catch in all positions of said hanger member and being movable between a first position engaged with said catch and a second position below said friction member for handbag hanging purposes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 881,152 Pienshaw Mar. 10, 190-8 1,06%,646 Hilliard June 10, 1913 2,473,086 Montero June 14:, 1949 2,516,760 Doran July 25, 1950 

